CATHARTTD.i:. 



205 



Order CATHARTIFOEMES. 



Fiimily CATHARTIDJE. 



The Vul tares are verv large birds with iinfeathered heads and 

 necks, bare legs and feet. The tarsi and toes are covered with 

 small reticulations. The toes are flat and the claws short and 

 smooth. 



Thev are distributed in Europe. Africa, Asia, and America. 

 Four genera are represented in South America, three of which 

 occur in British Guiana. 







m 



,•■.■■ A 



Sarcoramphus papa. 



Fig. 49. — To sliow the fleshy caruncle at the liQse of the bill and 

 the skin-folds on the hinder part of the head. 



We wish to draw attention to the fact that Brabonrno and 

 Chubb, in their * List of the Birds of South America,' used 

 Sarcorhamphus Dumeril for pn/plius (Linn.). The International 

 Committee of Zoological Nomenclature have decided, however. 



